Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-02-11
PECULIAR AUTHORIZATION.
A Successful Surgical Operation On
a Harelip.
From the Cincinnati Enquirer

From the Cincinnati Enquirer
NEW YORK, Feb. 6--There is a little
child at st. Vincent Hospital who though
not yet year old, has been subjected
to nine surgical operations and still lives,
and is likely to remain in this vale OF
tears as long as the average citizen. The
youngster is the son of Italian parents,
and was born with a peculiarly distress
ing defOrmity. Both the father and the
mother of the boy have that unpleasant
assure in the upper lip known as harelip.
The malformatiOn of the father
is single assure, while In the mother
there fs a double assure of the lip, COM
plicated with slight tissure OF the pal
ate. Both OF these cases were operated
upon in Europe when the parents were
young, and the manifestation of the de-
formity is comparatively slight. The
assure in the woman's palate was not
closed, and the effect is noticeable in her
talk. The couple have been married four
teen years and have had six perfectly
formed children. The seventh one 10 the
boy referred to.
AT BIRTH THE MALFORMATIoN
was not distinctly perceptible in the
child, because of the unusual vididness
of the skin on the face, but after several
udy6, w u6H Tue CHECKS DlodCneQ OUT, III
was noticed that the upper lip remained
red. This led to careful examination,
and it was found that the cheek was all
right Immediately under the eye, but at
point Just in front of the ear the flesh
seemed to merge into the superior maxil-
Ia, or upper Jaw. Following the line of
disappearance through the bone to the
inside of the mouth, a heavy men,
brane was found to be attached to
~
down below the upper jaw. The flesh was
considerably lighter in color than the
surrounding tissue, and on the left side
of the centre there was well-detined
assure that bore a close resent lance to a
harelip. The membrane followed the con-
tour of the jaw from both sides. The at
tachment on the left side was closer to
the ear, and the tissue was much heavier.
Such a marked curiosity excited the
attention of large number of the medi-
cal profession. The conclusion was
reacEed, after much discussion, that the
membrane in the mouth was nothing
more nor less than the upper lip, which.
by peculiar freak of nature, had been
placed on the wrong side 'of the jaw. A
similar case is recorded in the last century
in France, where the child died under an
operation.
Or. Byrnes, who has charge of the
this case, and had the child brought to
the hospital for treatment when it was
about six months old. The parents of
the child showed the timorouss spirit of
the Italians, which is almost always
manifested when they have anything to
do with hospitals. They refused for
long time to consent to have an operation
performed on the child. By giving
promise to pay considerable sum OF
m fho child chnnlA hai
consent was obtained.
DR.. Byrnes, who is one OF the most in
genIous and original among the young
members of the profession, after c.. s.
study OF the malfOrmatiOn, determined TO
try and reverse the order in which the lip
and the jaw bone had been put together
and
BRING THE LIP INTO ITS NATURAL PO-
SITION.
The task was an exceedingly delicate
one, beset with many dangers, many OF
which might destroy the life of the pa
tient. The child had been we'll nourished
from its birth, though unable to take food
in the usual manner prescribed tor in
fantS, which was in it's favor. The pa
tIent was placed slightly under the intlu-'
ence OF ether, and in order to avoid any
evil consequences from the chi!d'S strug-
giles, If pain should be felt, the little one
was put in tignt-fitting bag, which was
closed firmly around the neck. An inclsion
was made in the flesh on the jaw bore on
line with the centre of the nose, about an
inch in length. From this an incision
was made at right angles on both sides
and extended to where tbs cheek seemed
to end. A fine saw was then
used to separate the bone. The
course followed was first through the
middle of the jaw. When the proper
point was reached the saw was Hrst run
to the right and then to 'the left. This
was done with the greatest care. The
bone being divided at tie centre permit
ted it to be easily separated under pres
sure. A gag was put in the PATIENTS
mouth to keep IL wide open. The lip was
carefully dissected from the bone In the
mouth, a curved knife being found of
great usefulness in the work. Tue dis
section was quite extensive, and when
enough flesh had been loosened the lip
was drawn through the opening which
mad been made in the jaw and brought in
front OF the bone. This was done by
scraping the tissue upon the upper por-
ton Of the bone until it was raw and
bleeding, and the upper portion OF the lip
being already in this condition
THE TWO BLEEDING SURFACES
were brought together, adjusted as well
as possible, 30 that the lip hung below
the bone. While the life current was
gong through the lip the two parts were
sutured together. The lip being split in
the centre the ordinary operation for
nsrelip was quickly performed, and the
wound was bandaged and the child put
in it's cot. At the end OF twenty four
hours the small portion OF the lip that
still remained fast at ITS original place
OF union was cut away and the bones
were placed in opposition, and Kept there
by slight pressure from. a gag ana
Dandages..
Tho jaw bone, which was but little
more than cartilage, knit quickly ard
well. There was considerable sloughing
at the lip near the centre, but generally
the flesh united remarkably well. After
the union had taken place the lip was
fashioned into shape and Joined by su-
lures to the tissue on the lower Jaw, so as
to diminish the size OF the mouth. This
also turned out we'll. Aftorward as the
child became stronger rhinoplasty was
performed from time to time, and small
pieces OF flesh were grated in the places
necessary TO make perfect lip. The nine
operations were done during period of
eeveral months. The child has now a lip
that may not be the dream OF the poet.
but le almost as good as nature could
give, fills out the face in every way, and
II IL were not for the scars, which arc
somewhat disfiguring, there would not be
sufficient deformity TO attract attention.